A broken Jaune unfractured
by Thatnamebro
Summary: Betrayed by his friends and left for dead during a Grimm hunting excursion gone wrong, will Jaune let this experience guide him to become a Grimm hunting badass? Or will he forever remain broken by the experience. A different take on a broken Jaune. Will he finally manage to restore his sense of self or will he forever be consumed by hate, anger and despair?


Jaune Arc was pissed. No, he felt as if his entire life had been a lie. It was as if everything he'd done so far was under a false belief. Beaten, broken, betrayed. He let all those experiences.. all those times he'd been rejected and took EVERY PART OF it PERSONALLY. He let the anger, frustration and despair consume him. How he felt like personally going back to that Signal Academy and killing all of them. How… how could they have done this to him!? His own friends ignored him and left for him dead during a Grimm exercise gone wrong. What's worse was that they did so with a smile on their faces. He hadn't even finished his first year and here he was fending for his very life. To top that all off, his parents had died in a car accident earlier that day and he'd join them shortly he thought sadly. As the Grimm raised its paws up intent on finishing him off, his Aura flared a bright white color, causing the Grimm to momentarily be blinded. Jaune despite the exhaustion sprinted desperately away until he finally collapsed. When he woke up, he was in a bed in a small semi-isolated home. Qrow was sitting on a stool with an impassive face. Jaune had scars on his left shoulder, the fingers on his left hand had lost full range of movement and he felt broken inside. He questioned himself despairingly that day. He… he would become stronger he promised to himself. He would become the strongest goddamn hunter there ever was, and then he'd see who would have the last laugh. One day he'd make it to Beacon. And so as he sat up, he asked Qrow if he'd train him. Qrow just smiled and said, "So a man nearly dies from Grimm, and now he wants to become a hunter? Most people would shake this down as a traumatic experience and move on with their lives. But you, you want to do the opposite of that."

"Will you train me or not?" he said steel in his voice to hide the frustration, pain and sadness that was lurking beneath.

"Look, kid, I can't be here all the time. I've got places to be, mostly cleaning up after Ozpin's messes. But seeing how I don't get much company, I can start you with a routine and be here when I'm able. Sound fair?"

Every day Jaune trained, and every day he spoke less. He was a shell of a man he once was. Who was the man who was so filled with hope, inspiration and a desire to help others? Others.. huh? The others who had stabbed him in back by leaving him to a horde of Grimm. Who had laughed at his every failure. He didn't care that he trained ten hours a day.

….Four years later….

He had done it. He had achieved his goal to become a stronger hunter and to get accepted into Beacon. He had everything he wanted. Then why was it that he still felt so empty inside? It was as if no matter what he achieved it was never enough. He had a decent paying job, he had some friends, and he just didn't get it. He decided to investigate further and searched up the Beacon library databases from his scroll describing his symptoms. He'd received a scroll in the mail and as soon as he was accepted. He was also allowed access to the huge library databases Beacon was known for. For a Grimm hunting academy, they certainly knew a lot about human behaviour. He typed in the words 'Broken, feel as if I don't belong regardless of what I achieve'. He found electronic books on social anxiety disorder, anti-social personality disorder and various articles relating to how some people cope or don't cope with betrayal. He read countless stories of others who had shared a similar fate to him. Some stories more tragic than his, but all betrayed nonetheless. All choosing a path of isolation and lack of trust where he would wind up if he continued this path. He broke down. While he didn't necessarily have some of these disorders, he certainly related to the stories. He had the symptoms of his own induced isolation. He cried and cried and felt that finally after all these years as if someone understood the pain that he had deep within his chest. What it felt like to have your whole world tipped over and see nothing but an endless bottomless pit. For the first time in a very long time, he cried tears of joy and relief. That perhaps there was a light at the end of the tunnel after all. He read every piece of information, bought every book he could and even talked to a few psychologists. Heck, he talked to everyone more and more and gradually he became more open, more resilient and more trusting. He was confident he'd make a good hunter. It sounded so stupid. What kind of maniac would want to become a Grimm hunting mercenary? But to Jaune it was simple, if there was any way he could protect himself, or better yet others, he would do it. He'd lost faith in others and in himself long ago. But no longer he thought. I no longer have to be my worst enemy. With the training he'd received and skills he'd learnt, he boarded the nearest Bullhead (airship) to Beacon Academy.

As he sat on the seats of the Bullhead on the way to Vale, he was excited to finally be moving forward in a direction that wasn't empty. He gulped up his medicine, praying to the god almighty that he didn't throw up on the good looking students in the seats in front.

He heard a two females students one with red hair talking to a blonde student with distinguishable assets.. He thought about going Hi, my name is Jaune BLURGHGGHGH. He shook his head free of the thought.

"Hey, are you alright, mister? You seem quite pale." the blonde one said with a tinge of concern and bright compassionate eyes.

He was taken back a bit, and shook back the tears in his eyes. Someone giving two shits about a stranger was kind to say the least, but he can't have himself breaking down in front of them. Ha, another great situation.. anyway.

"Yeah just don't like flying too much. Always give me a huge headache. That and I… also… uh.. tend to vomit if I don't have my medication".

"If you vomit on me, I'll end you". Blondie said with hostility in her voice

"Yang, don't scare him away" Red whined, in a cute childlike voice.

"Hey, it's alright. I took my medication anyhow, so should be good. Where are you two from anyhow?"

"Sorry, my names Yang, This is my little sister Ruby whose two years ahead from Signal and you are..?" Hostility replaced by a carefree tone.

That brought back the memories of my friends leaving me for dead. He didn't recognise these two, but then again he only did a year opting to train with Qrow instead. He then said to himself, it's all in the past, and now is not the time to dwell.

"The real man is here. Forget this loser, name's Cardin." A voice beside her called.

"Never heard of you"

"Surprised you don't know who I am. Oh well, sooner or late you'll know the greatness that stands before you."

"Oh really?" She said with mock awe in her voice.

"Oh yeah babe, just you wait.." He wasn't able to finish as she falcon punched the living hell out of his private parts.

Jaune while initially shocked, started rolling on the ground with laughter. HAHAHAHA! And to think people he thought he was bad at picking up girls.. I mean… dear god.. she must be quite a hard girl to please he thought.

"I was thinking of using a similar pickup line on you, but I think I might resist to you know, save the $5000 medical bill. I'm Jaune, by the way."

A robotic voice said… "Please. Exit. the plane on the.. recalculating.. recalculating… did I say exit? I meant stay inside. We are currently 200… thousand kilometres from… Vale. Please wait.. while…"

"Dear god this is going to be a long trip". Yang voiced aloud.

He exited the plane, relieved to know that he had at least met two nice people in this new city. Heck, most people were nice, but still it was a good start he thought as he bumped into someone with a black bow.

"Sorry about that. What was your name sorry?"

"It's fine, the names Blake." she said with a slightly amused smile

"I'm Jaune…" He said with a slightly deep tone of the voice only now just realising how beautiful she was.

"Are you okay, you look a bit out of it"

"Sorry, it's not every day I meet a woman as delightful as you". He quickly realised he'd voiced his thoughts out loud.

"That wasn't meant to be said out loud. Dear god… I probably look quite the charmer right now."

"Hey, its fine, don't worry about it. Besides, you're not so bad yourself" She said as her cheeks went a slight pink.

"Well, I better go, bye Jaune."

"Cya"

"Well, aren't you the catch, Jauney boy?" Yang teased.

"He was just being friendly, besides he didn't mean to voice those thoughts aloud. Isn't that right, Jaune? Oh, we have to make it to orientation. We can't be late! We have to go right now." She said excitedly jumping up and down.

"Actually… I have to meet up with some old friends. Bye guys, enjoy Beacon". Yang zoomed off leaving Ruby and Jaune alone.

"Why…." Ruby pouted to no one in particular.

"Come on Ruby, you lead the way"

Ozpin walked up to the podium and cleared his throat. Then began. "Now students, it is with great pleasure that.." BLUH BLUH BLUH LETS KILL SOMETHING ALREADY Jaune's darker voices internalised. START WITH HIM. HE NEVER SHUTS UP. "I look around this room and see so much potential…" This is so exciting…. Wooo. Urgh I hate this right now….. "and that is why this year we will be doing something different. You will each be fighting a fellow student. The winners will verse the other winners until lastly, that said person gets to choose their own team, while the others will be randomised." KILL SOMEONE YES, BLOOD FOR BLOOD MUAHAHAHA.

When did he have such dark thoughts he wondered. Meh, guess Ozpin's speech must have been responsible, eh? And why was he now talking to himself… He shook his head. He said to the person next to him, "Were you guys as riveted by that speech as I was? Oh boy, I don't think I'll ever be that excited again. It's a sad day indeed."

"Don't be so dramatic. I actually rather enjoyed the speech" Blake who had been standing behind him walked beside him.

"Of course, you would. But that's only because you're about as boring as him." Jaune said, deadpan.

"Excuse me!?"

Jaune then lost it and started laughing hysterically. Blake who was trying her best to look annoyed, punched him in the shoulder and smirked a little.

"You should have seen you face. Oh god, I wish I had brought a camera".

"So please make your way to the combat arena, where it will begin" Ozpin finished…..

"Well Blake, we best get to it, huh? Better hope you're not paired up with me, not everyone can handle me, you know?"

"You such an ass at times. I hope I get paired up with you just so I can kick your arrogant ass"

"And why are you thinking about my ass in inappropriate ways, Blake? I never knew you felt that way about me".

Blake just shook her head in disbelief, but couldn't help but smile. She was getting used to his inappropriate banter and knew he was kidding. If he wasn't she probably would have punched his lights out.


End file.
